CN109675503B

CN109675503B - Movable basket for catalytic reactor

Info

Publication number: CN109675503B
Application number: CN201811214501.4A
Authority: CN
Inventors: W.魏斯; C.普莱斯
Original assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles IFPEN
Current assignee: IFP Energies Nouvelles IFPEN
Priority date: 2017-10-18
Filing date: 2018-10-18
Publication date: 2022-09-23
Anticipated expiration: 2038-10-18
Also published as: CN109675503A; KR102608484B1; RU2018136352A3; BR102018071269A2; EP3473335A1; CA3020940A1; FR3072305A1; TWI822703B; TW201922343A; FR3072305B1; KR20190043477A; BR102018071269B1; US10610844B2; RU2018136352A; US20190111372A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a movable basket for a catalytic reactor, comprising a horizontal floor (1) and a plurality of vertical side walls (2) and/or at least one oval side wall, and a plurality of vertical wells (3,4) open at a lower end (5) and an upper end (6), each well comprising a lower portion (7), the lower portions (7) comprising a lower end (5) fixed to the floor and extending between the side walls, wherein a first well comprises an upper portion (8) extending above the side walls, the upper portion of the first well being adapted to be inserted into the lower portion of a well of another movable basket. The invention also relates to a filtering and distribution device comprising said movable basket, a reactor comprising said device and a hydrotreating and/or hydrocracking process using said reactor.

Description

Movable basket for catalytic reactor

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a movable basket for filtering and distributing gases and liquids in a chemical reactor operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow.

Such reactors are used in the refining field, such as hydroprocessing, which require a high pressure hydrogen stream and operate with a heavy liquid feedstock that may contain impurities consisting of plugged solid particles.

Indeed, in some cases, under the temperature and pressure conditions required for hydroprocessing, the liquid feedstock or the mixture of liquid feedstock and hydrogen-rich gas contains impurities that may deposit on the catalyst bed itself, and reduce the interstitial volume of this catalyst bed over time and thus cause a gradual increase in the pressure drop. In the limit, in particular at the end of the cycle, clogging of the catalyst bed is noted, which is manifested by a very rapid increase in pressure drop, thus disturbing the flow through the reactor.

The pressure drop may cause the operator to have to stop the reactor and replace some or all of the catalyst, which of course results in a considerable reduction in the cycle duration of the process.

Among the plugging feedstocks, mention may be made of hydrocarbon mixtures which may contain non-negligible proportions of unsaturated or polyunsaturated acetylene or diene compounds or combinations of these various compounds, the total proportion of unsaturated compounds in the feedstock being able to reach 90% by weight. As representative examples of the feedstock to which the present application relates, pyrolysis gasoline; pyrolysis refers to thermal cracking processes well known to those skilled in the art. Mention may also be made of heavy hydrocarbon fractions, in particular gas oils, vacuum gas oils, atmospheric or vacuum residues and deasphalted oils. These heavy fractions may originate from the direct distillation of the crude oil or from conversion processes such as visbreaking, coking, deasphalting, catalytic cracking or hydrocracking.

The above-mentioned heavy hydrocarbon fraction may also contain various impurities capable of promoting the plugging of the catalyst bed, in particular sediments (measured for example by IP 375 and 390), metals (for example Ni, V, Fe, Ca, etc.) and derivatives thereof such as iron or calcium derivatives. Additional impurities may be formed in the feedstock when the feedstock is contacted with hydrogen. For example, iron sulfide may be formed in situ from Fe (e.g., an inorganic or organic salt type of naphthenic acid) contained in the feedstock. The residue type fraction also contains asphaltenes, which are chemical compounds commonly described as coke precursors.

The plugging of a portion of the catalyst bed may be due to several mechanisms. Directly, the presence of particles in the feed stream can lead to plugging by deposition of said particles within the catalyst bed, which deposition has the effect of reducing the void fraction. Indirectly, the formation of a layer of products derived from the chemical reaction, typically coke, but also other solid products derived from impurities present in the feedstock, a layer of products deposited on the surface of the catalyst particles, can also contribute to reducing the voidage of the catalyst bed.

In addition, since the deposition of plugging particles can occur in an almost random manner within the catalyst bed, an uneven distribution of the void fraction of such a catalyst bed may result, which may appear to form preferential paths. These preferential paths are extremely disadvantageous from a hydrodynamic point of view, since they almost seriously disrupt the uniform flow of the phases within the catalyst bed and may lead to non-uniformity in the progress of the chemical reaction, as well as non-uniformity in temperature (e.g. radial temperature differences, hot spots).

Prior Art

Various technical solutions have been developed in order to prevent premature plugging of the catalyst bed. These solutions are based on the use of a filtration system arranged upstream of the catalyst bed (in the direction of fluid flow). For example, the following documents may be mentioned.

Document FR 2889973 describes a distributor disk which directly supports the filter medium and thus provides the function with regard to filtration and distribution of gases and liquids of the catalyst bed located downstream. The filter distributor tray according to FR 2889973 comprises a well with perforations (or slots) in the middle of the filter bed (chimney), which may present difficulties in case of clogging of the filter bed close to the perforations. Clogging of this filter bed leads to well plugging from two consequences: an imbalance in the distribution of the liquid flow below the distributor tray, and the risk of breaking the wells during their removal in the event that the wells stick and bind (with) to the filter bed.

Document FR 2959677 describes a set of movable baskets containing filter particles, these baskets being located on the distributor disk to facilitate the installation and removal of the filter device without involving the distributor disk. To ensure the mechanical integrity of the basket system, the movable basket is securely held by bolts or a fixing system, thus complicating the mounting and dismounting operations.

Document FR 2996465 describes an assembly for filtering and distributing gases and liquids, comprising a distributor equipped with a distribution well and an upper perforated filtering support on which is arranged a filtering bed through which the well of the distributor disk passes. The filtering support is mechanically held to the distributor disk by means of an elbow between said support and the distributor disk or by means of a threaded system. The main difficulty in implementing this system lies in the filling of the filter medium, which must be done once the support is installed in the reactor and especially during the dismantling of the system, which involves the prior emptying of the support from the inside of the reactor, which makes it even more difficult in the case of agglomeration (or caking) of the filter medium.

Document FR 3043339 describes a filtering and dispensing assembly comprising a distributor disc on which the wells are fixed and on which the filter baskets are arranged, each basket being fitted with a support device cooperating with the wells of the distributor disc so as to support the filter baskets. However, this system only includes a limited filter media thickness and therefore has a limited filter function life. The object of the present application is to overcome the above drawbacks.

Disclosure of Invention

A first object of the present application is to provide a stackable mobile basket, in particular to enable the superposition of several filter beds and better use of the space located under the upper floor of the reactor. A second object of the present application is to extend the life of the catalyst bed located downstream of the distributor disk. According to a first aspect, the above mentioned aim and other advantages are obtained by a movable basket suitable for housing and holding at least one filtering medium for filtration and distribution of a gaseous phase and a liquid phase and suitable for being arranged upstream of a fixed catalyst bed of a reactor operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow, comprising:

a substantially horizontal floor and a plurality of substantially vertical side walls and/or at least one (substantially vertical) oval side wall, the floor and/or at least one side wall being permeable to gases and liquids, and

a plurality of substantially vertical wells open at lower and upper ends, each well including a lower portion comprising a lower end fixed to the floor and extending between the side walls, and a first well of the movable basket including an upper portion extending above the side walls, and

wherein

The upper part of the first well is adapted to be inserted into the lower part of a well of another movable basket of the same type, for example in the second well of a movable basket according to the first aspect.

Since the first well of a movable basket can be inserted into the well of another movable basket, this first well can provide a guiding function when stacking the movable baskets. Thus, it is possible to stack several stacks of movable baskets upstream of the reactor catalyst bed (e.g. in the space below the upper floor of the reactor). In addition, considering that the risk of clogging of the filter bed mainly involves movable baskets arranged horizontally in the upper tier, the clogged movable baskets remain to allow their replacement without seeking to remove additional baskets. Furthermore, clogging of the basket results in redistribution of fluid in the downstream basket without compromising overall filtration function. The first well can also provide structural reinforcement during stacking and formation of the stack of movable baskets.

Fluid flow in the event of filter bed plugging is also improved provided the removable basket is fitted with a well. Thus, the gas distribution in the central part of the reactor is increased, and the uniformity of the flow in each phase in the catalyst bed is improved. In addition, if the filter bed becomes clogged, liquid can flow back along the walls of the movable basket and then overflow the movable basket into the space between two movable baskets and/or flow into adjacent movable baskets and/or flow with the gas into the wells of the movable baskets, thus maintaining an equilibrium distribution of the fluid below the distributor tray. According to one or more embodiments, a portion of the liquid can also overflow into the annular space between the movable basket and the reactor wall.

According to one or more embodiments, the height of the upper portion of the first well is less than or equal to the height of the lower portion of the second well of the movable basket. Thus, the first movable basket can be disposed on the second movable basket such that the floor of the first movable basket is located on the second movable basket side wall.

According to one or more embodiments, the well (e.g., the lower and upper portions of the well) forms a tube having a circular cross-section, and the diameter of the lower portion of the second well of the movable basket is greater than the diameter of the upper portion of the first well. Thus, the number of well manufacturing steps is reduced and the gaseous fluid is optimized. It is understood that the well of the movable basket can have any shape, provided that the upper part of the well of the movable basket is adapted to be inserted into the lower part of the well of another movable basket according to the first aspect.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket further comprises a second well comprising an upper portion extending above the side wall, and wherein the upper portion of the second well is adapted to be inserted into a lower portion of a well of another movable basket (e.g. into the first well of a movable basket according to the first aspect). Since the second well of the movable basket also extends above the wall, the guidance for the superposition of the baskets and the structural integrity of the assembly formed by the stack of movable baskets is improved.

According to one or more embodiments, the height of the upper portion of the second well is less than or equal to the height of the lower portion of the first well.

According to one or more embodiments, the diameter of the first lower well portion is greater than the diameter of the second upper well portion.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket comprises at least three substantially vertical side walls. Thus, the basket may be in the shape of a triangular prism, a cuboid (e.g., square base), a hexagonal prism, or the like. According to one or more embodiments, the three sidewalls form a triangular prism. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the movable basket includes four substantially vertical sidewalls. According to one or more embodiments, the four sidewalls form a rectangular (e.g., square-based) parallelepiped. In accordance with one or more embodiments, the movable basket includes six substantially vertical sidewalls. In accordance with one or more embodiments, six sidewalls form a hexagonal prism. According to one or more embodiments, the elliptical (substantially vertical) sidewalls form a cylinder.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket comprises four substantially vertical side walls forming a cuboid comprising a cavity formed by two adjacent rectangular parallelepiped, the first and second wells each being arranged in the centre of one rectangular parallelepiped. Thus, the movable baskets of one stack can be arranged in a configuration perpendicular to the movable baskets of an adjacent stack, while significantly reducing the space left between the movable baskets. According to one or more embodiments, the width of two opposite first side walls is substantially equal to twice the width of the other two side walls, thereby thus forming said cavity constituted by two adjacent rectangular cubes.

According to one or more embodiments, the heights of the upper portions of the first and second wells are substantially equal. Thus, stacking of the stack of movable baskets is facilitated, since a larger number of possible orientations of the movable baskets is obtained. According to one or more embodiments, the heights of the upper portions of the first and second wells are different. Thus, the baskets may be preconfigured to define their stacking according to a predetermined orientation.

According to one or more embodiments, the height of at least one of the plurality of wells is less than or equal to twice the height of the sidewall (e.g., the height of the upper portion of the well is substantially less than or equal to the height of the sidewall).

According to one or more embodiments, at least one of the plurality of wells of the movable basket is permeable to gas.

According to one or more embodiments, the upper ends of the plurality of wells are adapted to be positioned above the filter media layer. Thus, the liquid is directed to preferentially pass through the filter bed.

According to one or more embodiments, at least one upper end of the plurality of wells of the movable basket comprises a screen, in particular a well capable of limiting the splashing of unfiltered liquid into the gas passage for the basket.

According to one or more embodiments, the bottom plate and/or the side walls comprise a peripheral reinforcement. Thus, the structural integrity of the movable basket is enhanced. According to one or more embodiments, the bottom plate and/or the side walls comprise a perforated separating element, such as a metal screen, for example of the Johnson type known to those skilled in the art, or a metal plate with perforations, in which the mesh or holes of the screen have a size such that the latter is strictly lower than the average size of the constituent elements of the filtering medium carried by the mobile basket.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket further comprises at least one reinforcement adapted to reinforce the movable basket. According to one or more embodiments, the at least one reinforcement constitutes a connection point of the mobile basket for handling the mobile basket. According to one or more embodiments, the at least one reinforcement connects at least one element selected from the group consisting of a floor, a wall and a well of the movable basket to at least one other element selected from the group consisting of a floor, a wall and a well of the movable basket. Thus, the structural integrity of the movable basket is enhanced and the handling of the movable basket is facilitated.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the removable basket includes at least one layer of filter media.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the movable basket includes a perforated protective screen, optionally movable, configured to be disposed over an upper layer of filter media. Thus, the filter media remains disposed within the movable basket and is not discharged during the treatment step and the reactor operation step. In particular, the protective screen enables removable baskets filled with filter media to be removed by orienting them at an angle relative to horizontal to facilitate their passage through an outlet port (e.g., an inspection port) formed in the reactor without loss of filter media.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the movable basket further comprises a connecting element for connecting the movable basket side wall to an adjacent movable basket side wall. Thus, the structural integrity of the stack of movable baskets is enhanced. According to one or more embodiments, the connecting element comprises a tag-like object (tab) (e.g. a plate) for at least partially covering the movable basket and the space between adjacent movable baskets. According to one or more embodiments, the connecting element is fixedly secured to the movable basket. Thus, liquid is directed to preferentially pass through the filter bed and not between the two movable baskets.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket is adapted to be positioned on the distribution means of the perforated disc of the reactor, the movable basket comprising support means cooperating with at least one distribution means of the perforated disc. Thus, the mounting and dismounting operations are still facilitated, provided that the movable basket is directly supported by the holed disc.

According to a second aspect, the above mentioned aim and other advantages are obtained by a removable basket suitable for housing and holding at least one filtering medium for filtration and distribution of a gaseous phase and a liquid phase and suitable for being arranged upstream of a fixed catalyst bed of a reactor operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow, comprising:

a substantially horizontal floor and a plurality of substantially vertical side walls and/or at least one elliptical (substantially vertical) side wall, the floor and/or at least one side wall being permeable to gases and liquids; and

a plurality of substantially vertical wells open at a lower end and an upper end, each well including a lower portion including a lower end secured to the floor and extending between the sidewalls, and a first well of the movable basket including an upper portion extending above the sidewalls, and

wherein

The lower and upper parts of the well are substantially tubular such that the shape defined by the cross-section of the upper part of the first well can be surrounded by the shape defined by the cross-section of the lower part of the second well of the movable basket (all embodiments according to the first aspect are applicable to embodiments according to the second aspect).

In accordance with one or more embodiments, the second well of the movable basket includes an upper portion extending above the sidewall, and the shape defined by the cross-section of the lower portion of the first well may surround the shape defined by the cross-section of the upper portion of the second well.

According to a third aspect, the above objects and other advantages are obtained by a filtering and distribution device for gas and liquid phases, suitable to be arranged upstream of a fixed catalyst bed of a reactor operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow, said movable basket comprising:

a perforated tray extending in a horizontal plane, on which is a fixed dispensing device, such as a vertical well, optionally of circular section, substantially vertical and open at its upper and lower ends, said dispensing device being equipped with an opening above at least part of its height; and

a plurality of moveable baskets according to the first and/or second aspects arranged on the dispensing device.

In addition to their supporting function for the movable basket, the perforated disc dispensing means are able to provide a guiding function during the installation of said movable basket.

Another advantage of the filtering and distribution device derives from the fact that loading the movable basket with the filtering medium can be done outside the reactor, which facilitates and greatly speeds up the operation, the latter then being limited to mounting the loaded movable basket above the perforated tray. Furthermore, the height of the filter particles in each movable basket can be adjusted very accurately from basket to basket.

According to one or more embodiments, the dispensing device comprises a director element, in particular capable of: supporting a movable basket; closing the upper end of the dispensing device; the introduction of the liquid phase through the opening of the upper end of the distribution device is prevented while the gas phase is allowed to pass into the upper lateral area of the distribution device.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket is adapted to be positioned on the perforated disc distribution means of the reactor, the movable basket comprising support means cooperating with the perforated disc distribution means. According to one or more embodiments, the support means comprises a floor of the movable basket.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable baskets are arranged to form a first stack of movable baskets on the dispensing device. According to one or more embodiments, the movable baskets are arranged to form at least one further stack of movable baskets on the first stack of movable baskets.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket is arranged such that the well of the movable basket is aligned with one of the distribution means of the perforated disc and the guide element of said distribution means comprises an opening enabling the passage of gas between said well of the movable basket and said distribution means. Thus, the passage of gas through the filtration and distribution apparatus is facilitated.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket is arranged such that the well of the movable basket is offset with respect to the dispensing device. Thus, mixing of gas and liquid in the collection space between the floor of the movable basket and the perforated disc is facilitated.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable baskets of the same stack are arranged parallel to each other and offset with respect to the movable baskets of the adjacent stack. According to one or more embodiments, the movable baskets of the same stack are arranged perpendicular to the movable baskets of the adjacent stack. Thus, the structural integrity of the continuous stack of movable baskets is enhanced.

According to one or more embodiments, the plurality of movable baskets are arranged to form a continuous stack of pyramids. Thus, the movable basket can be arranged in the space below the upper floor of the reactor, thus optimizing the available space in the reactor.

According to one or more embodiments, said support means comprise at least one side wall of a movable basket cooperating with the dispensing means.

According to one or more embodiments, the support means comprises a tube fixed to the floor of the movable basket, the tube having a diameter substantially greater than the diameter of the dispensing means, the tube being closed at the upper end and open at the lower end, such that the tube is adapted to receive the dispensing means and thus for being located thereon.

According to one or more embodiments, the tube comprises one or more openings in a cross-section adjacent its upper end to enable diffusion of the gas phase within the distribution device.

According to one or more embodiments, the tube is permeable to the liquid phase and optionally capable of retaining the solid phase constituted by the filter medium.

According to one or more embodiments, the tube is porous above its height to also enable passage of liquid phase accumulated at the level of the filter medium into the distribution device. For example, the openings are distributed over the height of the tubes with regular spacing between the openings. Alternatively, the tube is produced by a perforated screen, for example of the Johnson type.

According to one or more embodiments, the support means comprise a plurality of vertical arms fixed to the floor of the movable basket and equipped with connection means configured to cooperate with the dispensing means.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket located at the periphery of the filtering and dispensing device has at least one side wall with a certain curvature. This embodiment makes it possible in particular to produce a filtration and distribution device capable of matching the curvature of the reactor wall in which it is installed, so as to cover the reactor section in a tight manner.

According to one or more embodiments, two adjacent movable baskets are separated by a free space or functional gap to allow their installation and their removal from basket to basket. According to one or more embodiments, this free space is 1 to 20 mm, for example 1 to 10 mm.

According to a fourth aspect, the above objects and other advantages are obtained by a reactor suitable for operation with co-current gas-liquid downflow, comprising, in the flow direction of the fluids:

a fixed catalyst bed; and

a filtration and distribution device for gas and liquid phases according to the third aspect arranged upstream of the catalyst bed.

According to one or more embodiments, the filtering and distribution device is arranged in the reactor so as to leave a substantially annular region between the reactor wall and the wall of the peripheral movable basket adjacent to the reactor wall. According to one or more embodiments, the annular region is from 2% to 50%, for example from 5% to 20% of the reactor cross-section.

In accordance with one or more embodiments, a plurality of movable baskets are disposed in the reactor so as to fill an upper floor region (i.e., an upper dome) of the reactor.

According to one or more embodiments, the reactor is a reactor suitable for operation with a co-current gas-liquid trickle down-flow having a liquid velocity of from 0.1 to 5 cm/s, for example from 0.1 to 1 cm/s (in the case of a hydrotreating reactor) or from 1.1 to 5 cm/s (in the case of a selective hydrogenation reactor).

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket has a smaller size than the inspection opening formed in the reactor for reasons of easy maintenance.

According to a fifth aspect, the above objects and other advantages are obtained by a process for hydrotreating and/or hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock comprising at least one hydrocarbon fraction having a sulphur content of at least 0.5 wt.%, and/or an initial boiling point of at least 300 ℃, and/or a final boiling point of at least 500 ℃, wherein the feedstock is introduced into a reactor according to the fourth aspect. An application which is also generally under consideration is the catalytic treatment of heavy petroleum fractions, even though the filtering and distribution device according to the present application can be adapted to any treatment (for example hydrogenation) of petroleum fractions loaded with clogging particles or coking precursor substances which may cause the clogging of fixed beds.

Further features and advantages of embodiments according to the above-mentioned aspects and of devices according to the above-mentioned aspects will become apparent upon reading the following non-limiting description (provided by way of example only) and with reference to the following drawings.

Brief description of the drawings

Fig. 1 is a pictorial profile view of a movable basket according to an embodiment of the present application.

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic sectional view of the movable basket of FIG. 1 with filter media disposed thereon.

Fig. 3 is a bottom pictorial view of the movable basket of fig. 1 and 2.

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic side view of a movable basket according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 5 is a bottom view of the illustration of the movable basket of fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a diagrammatic side view of a movable basket according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 7 is a bottom pictorial view of the movable basket of fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic side view of a movable basket according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 9 is a diagrammatic side view of a movable basket according to an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic profile view of a movable basket according to embodiments of the present application.

Fig. 11 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional view of a portion of a reactor including filtration and distribution equipment in accordance with an embodiment of the present application.

Fig. 12 is a diagrammatic side view of a movable basket according to an embodiment of the present application with filter media disposed thereon.

Fig. 13 is a pictorial top view of a movable basket according to an embodiment of the present application.

In general, similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals in the figures.

Detailed Description

According to a first and a second aspect, the present application relates to a removable basket suitable for housing and holding at least one filtering medium for filtration and predistribution of a gas phase and a liquid phase and suitable for being arranged upstream of a fixed catalyst bed of a reactor operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow.

With reference to figures 1, 2 and 3, the movable basket is intended to be filled with a filtering medium M and comprises a substantially horizontal bottom plate 1 and a plurality of substantially vertical side walls 2, preferably of the same height, said walls delimiting the section of the movable basket (i.e. the horizontal section or the section perpendicular to the basket height). In this embodiment, the soleplate 1 is permeable to gases and permeable to liquids. In another aspect, at least one element selected from the floor and the sidewalls is permeable to gases and liquids, depending on the selected configuration. In this embodiment, the movable basket comprises four side walls 2 forming a cuboid. On the other hand, depending on the configuration chosen, the movable basket may comprise a different number of side walls, forming for example a prism in the shape of a triangle, square, hexagon, etc. The movable basket can also comprise a single oval side wall 2 forming a cylindrical cavity or at least one curved side wall 2. For example, a movable basket intended to be arranged along the reactor wall can have a certain curvature on at least one side wall 2.

The movable basket also comprises wells, such as a first well 3 and a second well 4, which are substantially vertical and open at their lower end 5 and upper end 6. The first and

second wells

3 and 4 each include a lower portion 7, the lower portion 7 including a lower end 5 secured to the floor 1 and extending between the side walls 2. In addition, the first well 3 also comprises an upper portion 8 extending above the side wall 2.

As shown in fig. 1, 2 and 3, the upper part 8 of the first well 3 can be adapted to be inserted into the lower part 7 of a well of another movable basket, i.e. into the lower part 7 of the second well 4 of a movable basket according to the first and second aspects, which is for example substantially identical to the movable basket shown in fig. 1, 2 and 3. Thus, the movable basket is stackable so that several stacks of movable baskets can be stacked upstream of the catalyst bed of the reactor.

According to one or more embodiments, the lower portion 7 and the upper portion 8 of the first well 3 and the lower portion 7 of the second well 4 are substantially tubular, such that the shape of the cross-section of the upper portion 8 of the first well 3 may be surrounded by the shape of the cross-section of the lower portion 7 of the second well 4. For example, as shown in FIG. 3, the lower and

upper portions

7 and 8 of the

wells

3 and 4 can form a tube having a circular cross-section such that the diameter D2 of the lower portion 7 of the second well 4 is greater than the diameter D1 of the upper portion 8 of the first well 3. It is to be understood that the well of the movable basket may have any shape, provided that the upper part 8 of the well of the movable basket is adapted to be inserted into the lower part 7 of the well of another movable basket according to the first and second aspects.

As shown in fig. 2, the height H1 of the upper portion 8 of the first well 3 is less than or equal to the height H2 of the upper portion 7 of the second well 4. Thus, the bottom plate 1 of a movable basket may be supported by the side wall 2 of another movable basket. Additionally, if the filter bed is clogged, liquid may preferably flow into the well of the movable basket with the gas.

As shown in fig. 2, the upper ends 6 of the first and

second wells

3 and 4 are adapted to be positioned above the layer of filter media M so that liquid preferentially passes through the filter bed.

In the embodiment shown in fig. 3, the width L of two opposite first side walls 2 is substantially equal to twice the width L of the other two side walls 2. The side walls thus form a cavity consisting of two adjacent rectangular cubes. In this embodiment, the first and

second wells

3 and 4 are each arranged in the center of one of the rectangular cuboid. For example, the

wells

3 and 4 are arranged at a distance substantially equal to L/4 from the three side walls 2 and at a distance substantially equal to 3L/4 from the fourth side wall 2. Thus, the movable baskets of the same stack of movable baskets may be arranged in a configuration perpendicular to the movable baskets of the adjacent stack. It is understood that other structural configurations are possible so that the movable basket can be vertically stacked on other movable baskets.

According to one or more embodiments, the upper surface of the movable basket is at least partially, preferably entirely, open so as to enable easy handling of the filtering medium M, these operations being able to be carried out when the reactor is stopped, and generally outside the latter. Furthermore, the movable basket can comprise a perforated protective screen 9 (fig. 2), optionally movable, arranged above the upper layer of filter media M so as to enclose the filter media M within the movable basket. With reference to fig. 4 and 5, the second well 4 of the movable basket may comprise an upper portion 8 extending above the side wall 2, so that the upper portion 8 of the second well 4 is also adapted to be inserted into the lower portion 7 of a well of another movable basket, i.e. into the lower portion 7 of the first well 3 of the movable basket according to the first and second aspects, which is for example substantially identical to the movable basket shown in fig. 4 and 5.

According to one or more embodiments, the shape defined by the section of the lower portion 7 of the first well 3 fits around the shape defined by the section of the upper portion 8 of the second well 4. The guidance of the superposition of the baskets is improved since both

wells

3 and 4 of the movable basket extend above the side wall 2. For example, as shown in fig. 5, the lower and

upper portions

7 and 8 of the

wells

3 and 4 can form a tube having a circular cross-section, such that the diameter D1 of the lower portion 7 of the first well 3 is greater than the diameter D2 of the upper portion 8 of the second well 4. In this embodiment, the diameter D2 of the upper portion 8 and the diameter D2 of the lower portion of the second well 4 are substantially equal. On the other hand, D2 and D2 may be different, provided that D2> D1 and D1> D2.

According to fig. 4, the height H2 of the upper part 8 of the second well 4 is smaller than or equal to the height H1 of the lower part 7 of the first well 3.

Referring to fig. 6 and 7, the heights of the upper portions 8 of the first and

second wells

3 and 4 may be substantially equal. Thus, a greater choice of orientation of the stackable basket is obtained. It is understood that said height of the upper portions 8 of the first and

second wells

3 and 4 may be different, so that the stacking of the movable baskets is pre-oriented. In this embodiment, the diameters d1 and d2 of the upper portions 8 of the first and

second wells

3 and 4 are substantially equal; the diameters D1 and D2 of the lower portion 7 of the first and

second wells

3 and 4 are substantially equal. It is understood that other configurations are possible, provided that D2> D1 and D1> D2.

According to one or more embodiments, referring to fig. 4 and 6, when the height H1 of the lower portion 7 of the first well 3 and/or the height H2 of the lower portion 7 of the second well 4 is less than the height Hp of the sidewall 2, the respective well may further comprise an intermediate portion extending above the lower portion 7 (e.g., extending from the lower portion 7 to the upper portion 8 of the well).

Referring to fig. 8, at least one of the first and

second wells

3 and 4 may have a height (H3 and/or H4) substantially equal to twice the height Hp of the sidewall 2. Referring to fig. 9, the heights H3 and H4 are substantially equal to twice the height Hp of the side wall 2. In other words, in the embodiment of fig. 9, heights H1, H2, H1, and H2 are substantially equal.

Referring to fig. 10, at least one upper end 6 of the first and

second wells

3 and 4 may include a screen 10, particularly to avoid any splashing of unfiltered liquid directly through the first well 3 and/or the second well 4. In addition, the bottom plate 1 and/or the side wall 2 can comprise peripheral reinforcements 11, in particular, which can reinforce the integrity of the movable basket, and/or of the reticular separation elements 12 (for example, screens or metal plates that can be permeable to gases and/or liquids). In addition, at least one of the plurality of

wells

3 and 4 of the movable basket can also be reticulated so as to be permeable to gas.

As shown in fig. 10, the movable basket may further comprise stiffeners 13 suitable for reinforcing the movable basket, the stiffeners 13 being able to act in particular as connection points for the movable basket during processing. In this embodiment, the stiffeners 13 are connected to the

wells

3 and 4 and the side wall 2. It is understood that the stiffeners 13 can also connect the side walls 2 to each other and/or the floor 1 to at least one element chosen from the

wells

3 and 4 and the side walls 2.

Furthermore, the movable basket may comprise a connecting element 14, such as a label sample (e.g. a plate) for connecting the side wall 2 of the movable basket to the side wall of an adjacent movable basket and optionally covering the movable basket and the space between adjacent movable baskets. According to one or more embodiments, the connecting element 14 may be fixedly secured to the movable basket. Thus, the structural integrity of the stack of movable baskets is enhanced and liquid preferentially passes through the filter bed. According to one or more embodiments, the assembly of the movable baskets is adjusted so as to cover the entire section of the reactor, leaving only an annular space in the reactor and free spaces or functional gaps between the side walls of adjacent movable baskets, so as to enable their respective movement for insertion and extraction and for positioning the connecting elements 14.

With reference to fig. 11, a movable basket can be suitably arranged on the distribution means 15 of the perforated disc 16 of the reactor 17, the movable basket comprising support means 18 cooperating with the distribution means 15 of the perforated disc 16. Thus, the mounting and dismounting operations are still facilitated, provided that the movable basket is directly supported by the dispensing device 15.

According to a third aspect, the present application also relates to a filtering and distribution device for gas and liquid phases intended for feeding catalytic reactors operating on gaseous and liquid feeds, preferably in the form of fluid states called trickle flow, i.e. having a liquid surface velocity of 0.1 cm/s to 5 cm/s.

As shown in fig. 11, the filtration and distribution equipment for the liquid and gas phases can be arranged upstream of the fixed catalyst bed 19 of the reactor 17 operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow. In this embodiment, the outer shell (jacket) of the reactor 17 is delimited by a wall 20, generally having a circular cross-section. The filtering and distribution device comprises a perforated disc 16 (also called distributor disc, solid disc or solid plate) whose function is to convert the two-phase spray entering the reactor 17 into a gas/liquid mixture uniformly distributed over the surface of a fixed catalyst bed 19, the fixed catalyst bed 19 being located downstream of the perforated disc 16 and which optionally introduces a filtering function by installing one or more filtering layers.

Referring to fig. 11, the filtration and distribution apparatus includes a perforated tray 16 upon which is mounted a distribution device 15, such as a vertical well, that passes through the perforated tray 16. For example, the dispensing device 15 may be closed at its upper end 21 and open at its lower end 22 and optionally be penetrated by transverse holes 23 distributed over the height of the dispensing device 15. It should be noted that the transverse holes 23 formed in the dispensing device 15 may be in the form of slots. Each distribution device 15 also comprises a transverse opening 24 located below the closed upper end 21 so as to enable the introduction of the gaseous phase.

According to one or more embodiments, the perforated tray 16 comprises a cross section corresponding to the housing of the reactor 17. For example, if the reactor 17 has a circular cross-section, the size of the cross-section of the perforated disc 16 corresponds to the size of the inner diameter of the reactor 17.

As shown in fig. 11, the lower end 22 of the distribution device 15 opens at or below the same elevation as the perforated tray 16 and above the fixed catalyst bed 19. According to one or more embodiments, the reactor further comprises a dispersion element 25 (for example a metal screen) arranged below the perforated tray 16, the function of which is to break up and disperse the jet of gas/liquid mixture emerging from the lower end 22 of the distribution device 15. It is noted that the open upper end 21 of the dispensing device 15 is capped with a deflector element 26, for example a plate, the deflector element 26 preventing the introduction of the liquid phase through the transverse opening 24 adjacent to the upper end 21, but enabling the passage of the gaseous phase into the lateral regions of the upper part.

As shown in fig. 11, the filtering and dispensing device also incorporates a filtering function, which is provided by a plurality of movable baskets according to the first and/or second aspect arranged above the perforated disc 16 and supported by the perforated disc 16. In this embodiment, the movable baskets are stacked in several stacks in the same plane (the longest edges of all movable baskets are parallel to each other). The movable basket also comprises support means 18 cooperating with the dispensing means 15 of the perforated disc 16. In the embodiment in fig. 11, the supporting means 18 correspond to the floor 1 of the movable basket, whose main dimensions (length and width; diameter, for example) are substantially greater than those of the dispensing means 15. In addition to their support function for the movable basket, the distribution means 15 of the perforated disc 16 are able to provide a guiding function during the installation of said movable basket in the reactor 17.

According to one or more embodiments, when the movable basket is arranged with one of its wells aligned with the dispensing device 15 of the perforated disc 16, the deflector element 26 of said dispensing device 15 comprises an opening enabling the passage of the gaseous fluid between the well of the movable basket and the dispensing device 15. According to one or more embodiments, the bottom plate 1 of the movable basket and/or the guide elements 26 respectively comprise complementary positioning elements (male/female type) suitable for engaging each other, so as to ensure the fixed positioning of the movable basket with respect to the holed disc 16.

According to one or more embodiments, the movable basket is arranged such that the well of the movable basket is offset with respect to the dispensing device 15. Thus, mixing of gas and liquid in the collection space E between the floor of the movable basket and the perforated disc 16 is promoted.

Advantageously, the use of fixing elements, such as screws, for fixing the movable baskets is not necessary, since the movable baskets can be arranged side by side in a row so that the supporting means 18 cooperate with the dispensing means 15. It is noted that the support means 18 can correspond to other elements of the movable basket. For example, according to one or more embodiments, the supporting means 18 comprise at least one pair of first and

second wells

3 and 4 of a movable basket cooperating with the dispensing means 15, so that the dispensing means 15 can be inserted in the lower part 7 of the well of the movable basket. According to one or more embodiments, inwardly extending overhangs that fit into the lower portions 7 of the

wells

3 and 4 of the movable baskets can be located on the dispensing device 15. According to one or more embodiments, the distribution device 15 may lack a director element 26 to enable better passage of gas.

According to one or more embodiments, the supporting means 18 can be defined as shown in document FR 3043339. According to one or more embodiments, the supporting means 18 comprise at least one lateral wall 2 of a movable basket cooperating with the dispensing means 15. According to one or more embodiments, the supporting means 18 can be in the form of a tube (not shown) fixed to the floor 1 of the movable basket, having a diameter substantially greater than that of the dispensing means 15. The tube is closed at its upper end by a plate and is open at its lower end, so that the tube is adapted to receive a dispensing device 15 having a perforated disc 16. Once the movable basket is mounted, it is positioned on the dispensing device 15 by means of a plate of tubes fixed to the bottom plate 1 of the movable basket. Furthermore, it is noted that the section adjacent to the upper end of the tube may comprise openings communicating with the transverse openings 24 of the distribution device 15 (the transverse openings 24 being mounted on the distribution device 15), so as to enable the passage of the gaseous fluid in the tube and then in the distribution device 15 of the perforated disc 16. According to one or more embodiments, in which the distribution means 15 are equipped with holes distributed over its height, the tube is also porous at least above its lower half height (for example above its full height), so as to enable the passage of the clean liquid phase from the movable basket into the distribution means 15. According to one or more embodiments, the support means 18 are in the form of vertical arms (not shown) fixed to the floor 1 of the movable basket and equipped with connection means configured to cooperate with the dispensing means 15, for example at the level of the lateral opening 24 of the dispensing means 15 or at any level of the dispensing means.

As shown in fig. 11, the supporting means 18 of the movable basket and the distribution means 15 of the perforated disc 16 may be arranged so as to form a collection space E for the liquid phase (also called liquid mixing zone E) between the bottom plate 1 of the movable basket and the perforated disc 16.

According to one or more embodiments, as shown in fig. 11, the movable baskets are arranged to form at least one stack of movable baskets on the dispensing device 15.

According to one or more embodiments, as shown in fig. 11, the section of the entire movable basket exhibiting the filtering and distribution means does not occupy the entire section of the reactor 17. In fact, an annular space 27 may be present between the filtering zone of the so-called "peripheral" movable basket and the wall 20 of the reactor. This annular space 27 enables the passage of liquid into the collection area E even in the case of clogging of the filter medium M by different impurities covering (recover) over time.

In case the movable basket no longer provides a filtering function, the perforated disc 16 can however continue to act through the transverse holes 23 of the dispensing means 15 located in the liquid mixing zone E. The width of this annular space is constructed such that pressure equilibrium is maintained even in the event of a total blockage of the disk. According to one or more embodiments, the annular zone 27 corresponds to 2% to 50%, for example 5% to 20%, of the reactor cross-section.

When using filtration and distribution equipment in reactor 17, the removable basket may be filled with one or more layers of filter media M, which can be inert or active. For example, a layer of filter media M may comprise a filter element, referred to as a guard filter element, above a height, typically 100 mm to 1500 mm, preferably 150 mm to 500 mm, for example 300 mm. The filter elements constituting the layer may be:

filtering the additive;

particles of protective material or any other particles that generally act as a protective element, such as sold by Axens;

catalyst support or catalyst (fresh or used or regenerated).

These filter elements are preferably granular catalysts, beads or extrudates having a particle diameter of 0.5 to 5 mm, preferably 1 to 3 mm. These catalysts preferably consist of an active phase containing the filter metal on a support comprising alumina. It is understood that the filter element may comprise any material capable of retaining the clogging particles contained in the feedstock, such as a cross-linked ceramic or metallic material, such as those sold by Unicat or crystalphase. These cross-linked materials may be present in the form of agglomerates having a circular cross-section with a diameter of 3 to 5 cm and a height of 1 to 3 cm. It should be noted that the filter element may take different forms, for example a tube in the form of a bead, a multilobed cylinder, a simple cylinder, a mesopore or a wagon wheel (cartwheel); this list is non-limiting.

In most cases, a single layer of filter media per movable basket is sufficient, for example a layer having a thickness of 100 mm to 1500 mm, preferably 150 mm to 500 mm, for example 300 mm. However, several layers of filter media may be used per removable basket, with the size of the filter elements of a given layer preferably being smaller than the size of the filter elements comprising the immediately above layer.

According to one or more embodiments, the layer in contact with the bottom plate 1 of the basket can be particularly more porous than the layer of filter medium arranged above it, for example in the case of very fine catalysts, so as to avoid clogging the bottom plate 1 of the movable basket or the perforated bottom plate 1 with a movable basket that is too fine. According to one or more embodiments, the diameter of the layer in contact with the bottom plate is 2 to 10 times, e.g. 4 times, the diameter of the upper layer, in order to avoid inter alia mixing and separation of particles.

The operation of the filtration and distribution device installed in a co-current downflow reactor 17 having a gas phase and a liquid phase is described below with reference to fig. 11. Generally, the filtration and distribution device according to the third aspect is located upstream (in the direction of fluid flow) of the catalyst bed 19. When the two-phase gas/liquid feed is introduced in a staged manner onto different catalyst beds staggered along the reactor 17, it is possible to arrange the filtration and distribution means upstream of each catalyst bed. The gas/liquid mixture is sent to the head of the filtering and dispensing device, indicated by the arrow G/L. The gas portion of the mixture entering the distribution device 15 through the lateral opening 24 after passing through the

wells

3 and 4 of the movable basket (and optionally through the upper opening of the tube when the support means 18 are present in the form of a tube) is then directed below the perforated disc 16.

As regards the portion of liquid that is prevented from passing to the upper part of the dispensing device 15 by the deflector element 26 (see fig. 11), it collects in the movable basket and passes through the layer or layers of filter medium M carried in the movable basket. Contacting the liquid phase with the filter medium M allows retaining the particles that cause fouling of the catalyst bed, thus supplying a "clean" liquid that diffuses through the holes of the bottom plate 1 of the movable basket. Thus, the cleaning liquid is collected in the collecting space E. The cleaning liquid accumulated in the collecting space E then diffuses into the distribution device 15 through the opening 23 open to this space and mixes with the gas phase circulating in the distribution device 15. The cleaned gas/liquid mixture exits the dispensing device 15 through the open lower end 22 below the perforated disc 16. The spray of gas/liquid mixture then disperses as it encounters one or more dispersion elements 25 disposed between the catalyst bed 19 and the perforated tray 16.

As shown in fig. 12, the movable baskets may be stacked parallel but offset from each other in the stack. Thus, the structural integrity of the stack of movable baskets is enhanced. In addition, fig. 12 can also illustrate the formation of preferential gas paths 28 through the tiers of movable baskets by arranging the movable baskets so that the wells of each tier of movable baskets are aligned with the wells of adjacent tiers of movable baskets. Thus, the gas distribution in the central portion of the reactor 17 is facilitated, improving the homogeneity of the flow of the phases within the catalyst bed. In addition, if the filter bed becomes clogged, liquid can flow back along the walls and well and then flow with the gas into the well of the removable basket, maintaining a distribution equilibrium of the fluid below the perforated tray 16. It is noted that a preferential gas path 28 may be formed, provided that the upper part 8 of the first well 3 is adapted to be inserted into the lower part 7 of the well of another movable basket.

As shown in fig. 13, the movable baskets of the same stack can also be arranged perpendicular to the movable baskets of the adjacent stack, in particular in a configuration that can reinforce the structural integrity of the stack of movable baskets. In addition, such a configuration allows for a pyramidal arrangement of stacks of movable baskets as shown in the embodiment in fig. 13, wherein:

the first stack 29 comprises 44 movable baskets,

the second stack 30 comprises 35 movable baskets, arranged perpendicular to the movable baskets of the first stack 29,

the third stack 31 comprises 27 movable baskets, the movable baskets being arranged perpendicular to the second stack 30, and

the fourth stack 32 comprises 20 movable baskets arranged perpendicular to the movable baskets of the third stack 31.

Thus, an increase in space is obtained, since such a pyramidal arrangement enables to arrange the movable basket in the space below the upper floor of the reactor 17, as illustrated in fig. 11.

According to a fourth aspect, the present application also relates to a reactor 17 suitable for operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow, comprising, in the direction of flow of the fluid: a fixed catalyst bed, and a filtration and distribution device for gas and liquid phases according to the third aspect arranged upstream of the catalyst bed.

According to one or more embodiments, the reactor 17 may be of the elliptical or hemispherical type. In the embodiment in fig. 11, the upper floor of the reactor 17 comprises an inlet pipe having a predetermined diameter, capable of sucking in gaseous and liquid fluids, and generally equipped with a feed disperser (not shown). The inlet tube may optionally be mounted on a test port (not shown) to facilitate human handling and for use with a removable basket. The lower floor (not shown) of the reactor 17 comprises an outlet pipe (not shown) of predetermined diameter, allowing the outflow of the fluid, and is generally equipped with an outlet collector (not shown). The jacket of the reactor 17 is equipped with internals, in particular with filtration and distribution equipment. The catalyst bed 19 of the reactor 17 is located below the dispersion element 25.

According to a fifth aspect, the movable basket, the filtering and distribution device and the reactor 17 according to the present application are particularly suitable for a process for hydrotreating and/or hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock comprising at least one hydrocarbon fraction having a sulphur content of at least 0.5 wt. -%, and/or an initial boiling point of at least 300 ℃ and/or a final boiling point of at least 500 ℃ relative to the total weight of the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock. According to one or more embodiments, the hydrocarbon-containing feedstock comprises at least one of the following characteristics: at least 1 wt.%, such as 1 to 2 wt.% or 2 to 4 wt.% of sulfur, relative to the total weight of the hydrocarbon-containing feedstock, an initial boiling point of at least 350 ℃, and a final boiling point of at least 520 ℃, such as at least 540 ℃. According to one or more embodiments, the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock capable of being processed through the perforated tray 16 can be defined in particular as those having a boiling point higher than 350 ℃, in particular of the vacuum distillate type, residues or the like, vacuum gas oils, atmospheric residues, vacuum residues, deasphalted oils, or residues or vacuum distillates originating from conversion processes such as coking, fixed bed, ebullating bed or moving bed hydroprocessing or hydrocracking. All of these types of resids or vacuum distillates may be in the form of single or mixtures. These heavy feedstocks can be used as such or diluted with a hydrocarbon fraction or a mixture of hydrocarbon fractions. The heavy feedstock to which the present application relates may also comprise fractions derived from coal liquefaction processes, aromatic extracts or any other hydrocarbon fractions.

According to one or more embodiments, the hydrotreating process and/or hydrocracking process is carried out at a temperature from 300 ℃ to 500 ℃, such as from 350 ℃ to 430 ℃, and at an absolute pressure from 5 MPa to 35 MPa, such as from 11 MPa to 26 MPa. According to one or more embodiments, the hourly space velocity of the hydrocarbon-containing material, defined as the volumetric flow rate of the hydrocarbon-containing material divided by the total volume of the catalyst, is 0.1 h ^-1 To 5 h ^-1 E.g. 0.1 to 2 h ^-1 . According to one or more embodiments, the amount of hydrogen mixed with the hydrocarbon-containing feedstock is from 100 to 5000 standard cubic meters (Nm) ³ ) Per cubic meter (m) ³ ) Hydrocarbonaceous feedstocks, e.g. 200 to 2000 Nm ³ /m ³ 。

Examples

Exemplary embodiments of the dimensions of the movable basket and the filtering and dispensing apparatus according to the present application are as follows.

The dimensions of the movable basket are:

L：300 mm；

l：150 mm；

Hp：100 mm。

the rectangular bottom plate 1 of each movable basket is equipped with two holes above which wells in the form of circular tubes open at the lower and upper ends are mounted. The dimensions of the well of the movable basket are:

H3：180 mm；Hp+h1

H4：120 mm；Hp+h2

h1：80 mm；

H1：100 mm；

h2：20 mm；

H2：100 mm；

d1：50 mm；

D1：60 mm；

d2：50 mm；

D2：60 mm。

the movable basket may thus contain the filter medium M, for example consisting of one or two distinct layers, with a total thickness of 80 mm, measured from the movable basket floor.

The perforated disc 16 supporting 680 vertical wells is characterized as follows:

diameter of the perforated disc 16: 5.5 m.

The vertical well dimensions of the perforated disc 16 are:

height of the well of the perforated disc 16: 440 mm from the perforated disc;

outer diameter of the well with perforated disc 16: 50 mm;

spacing between wells of perforated disc 16: 150 mm.

The wells of the perforated tray 16 comprise two rows of holes for sucking in liquid:

a first row of holes: 3 5-mm holes relative to the 40 mm height of the perforated disc 16;

a second row of holes: 3 5-mm holes relative to the 130 mm height of the perforated disc 16;

opening at the top of the gas-suction well for the passage of gas: 50 mm.

The apparatus also includes 65 movable baskets of rectangular cross-section which may be disposed over the wells of the perforated tray 16. In these embodiments, the movable baskets are supported by their base plate 1, above the well of the perforated tray 16.

In these embodiments, the movable basket is a cuboid and the

wells

3 and 4 are tubes with circular cross-sections. It is understood that the movable basket and the

wells

3 and 4, respectively, may have other shapes, such as baskets having a triangular, square, hexagonal or circular cross-section, and/or tubes having an elliptical or polygonal cross-section (e.g., having a triangular, rectangular, etc. cross-section).

Claims

1. A removable basket suitable for housing and holding at least one filtering medium (M) for filtration and distribution of gas and liquid phases and which can be suitably arranged upstream of a fixed catalyst bed (19) of a reactor (17) operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow, said removable basket comprising:

a horizontal floor (1) and a plurality of vertical side walls (2) and/or at least one oval side wall (2), the floor (1) and/or the at least one side wall (2) being permeable to gases and liquids; and

a plurality of vertical wells (3,4) open at a lower end (5) and an upper end (6), each well comprising a lower portion (7), the lower portions (7) comprising a lower end (5) fixed to the floor (1) and extending between the side walls (2),

wherein

The first well (3) of the movable basket comprises an upper portion (8) extending above the side wall (2), and

the upper part (8) of the first well (3) is adapted to be inserted into the lower part (7) of a well of another movable basket of the same type,

wherein the height (H1) of the upper part (8) of the first well (3) is less than or equal to the height (H2) of the lower part (7) of the second well (4) of the movable basket, wherein the wells (3,4) form tubes with circular cross-section and the diameter (D2) of the lower part (7) of the second well (4) of the movable basket is greater than the diameter (D1) of the upper part (8) of the first well (3).

2. A movable basket according to claim 1, comprising a second well (4), the second well (4) comprising an upper portion (8) extending above the side wall (2), and wherein the upper portion (8) of the second well (4) is adapted to be inserted into the lower portion (7) of a well of another movable basket.

3. A movable basket according to claim 2, wherein the height (H2) of the upper portion (8) of the second well (4) is less than or equal to the height (H1) of the lower portion (7) of the first well (3).

4. A movable basket according to claim 2, wherein the wells (3,4) form tubes having a circular cross-section, and wherein the diameter (D1) of the lower portion (7) of the first well (3) is larger than the diameter (D2) of the upper portion (8) of the second well (4).

5. A movable basket according to claim 1 or 2, comprising four vertical side walls (2), wherein the width (L) of two first opposite side walls (2) is equal to twice the width (L) of the other two side walls (2), thereby forming a cuboid comprising a cavity constituted by two adjacent rectangular cubes, the first and second wells (3,4) each being arranged in the centre of one rectangular cube.

6. A movable basket according to claim 1 or 2, wherein at least one upper end (6) of the plurality of wells (3,4) of the movable basket comprises a screen (10).

7. A movable basket according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the bottom plate (1) and/or the side wall (2) comprises a peripheral reinforcement (11).

8. A movable basket according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising at least one reinforcement (13) adapted to reinforce the movable basket.

9. A movable basket according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a perforated protective screen (9) adapted to be arranged above the upper layer of filter media (M).

10. A movable basket according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a connecting element (14) for connecting a side wall (2) of a movable basket to a side wall (2) of an adjacent movable basket.

11. A gas-and liquid-phase filtration and distribution device, suitable for being arranged upstream of a fixed catalyst bed (19) of a reactor (17) operating with co-current gas-liquid downflow, comprising:

a perforated tray (16) extending in a horizontal plane, on which is a fixed distribution device (15), the distribution device (15) being vertical and open at its upper (21) and lower (22) ends, said distribution device (15) being equipped with an opening (23) above at least a part of its height; and

a plurality of movable baskets according to any one of claims 1 to 10 arranged on a distribution device (15).

12. A reactor (17) suitable for operation with co-current gas-liquid downflow, comprising, in the direction of flow of the fluid:

a fixed catalyst bed (19); and

filtration and distribution device of the gas and liquid phases according to claim 11, arranged upstream of a fixed catalyst bed (19).

13. A process for hydrotreating and/or hydrocracking a hydrocarbonaceous feedstock comprising at least one hydrocarbon fraction having a sulphur content of at least 0.5 wt. -%, and/or an initial boiling point of at least 300 ℃ and/or a final boiling point of at least 500 ℃ relative to the total weight of the hydrocarbonaceous feedstock, wherein the feedstock is introduced into a reactor according to claim 12.